DeLand’s Spec Martin Memorial Stadium is going to be a busy place Thursday, Jan. 2, as it has been chosen for the 2025 Under Armour NEXT All-American Football Game airing on ESPN. The nation’s top high-school athletes will showcase their skills, grit and determination.
The day will have everything from women’s flag football to camps, food and fun, before the game at 4 p.m.
For more information, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/…/2025-under–armour-next-all or https://underarmournext.com/football.
It has taken eight months of sales presentations and nearly a dozen facility tours for executives from Under Armour, ESPN and their production teams to establish this and bring it into a full presentation. This is a monumental achievement for our community, Spec Martin Memorial Stadium and the City of DeLand Parks and Recreation Department.
The 2025-26 School Choice Fairs for elementary- and middle- schoolers will be taking place for two nights. More to come on this as the dates approach. The first will be for the east side of the county at the News-Journal Center at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, while the second will be for the west side at The Center at Deltona at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27.
Go to k12.vcsedu.org/School-Choice, or call 386-734-7190, ext. 50910 or 50911, for additional information.
The Volusia County Schools Driver’s Education Program has announced that Spring Driver’s Education Registration will open at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, and close at 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 10. The registration link is https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=S3jpkwc1_0C8AVnqihp7cRXCLW3TneRLsvf2p2vl13hUNU1, or go to the Volusia County Schools website. Registration seats are filled based on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Volusia County Schools website www.vcsedu.org includes information and DMV/School District requirements, additional resources, and what driver’s education is.
Saturday sessions will take place at University High School in Orange City, with 45 seats; Pine Ridge High in Deltona, with 30 seats; and Spruce Creek High in Port Orange, with 45 seats. After-school sessions will take place at DeLand High, with 30 seats, and Mainland High in Daytona Beach, with 30 seats.
Here is a reminder that the Superintendent’s Winter Reading Challenge comes to an end Monday, Jan. 6.
Florida’s Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez has announced the fourth annual Spring 2025 Florida Space Art Contest for kindergartners through fifth-graders. Students are encouraged to create an art piece inspired by the theme “Liftoff! Florida’s Spaceship of the Future.” Each student may submit an original, two-dimensional artwork based on the theme.
Submissions will be broken down into two categories: kindergartners through second-graders, and third- through fifth-graders. Six art pieces from each group (12 total) will be selected as finalists, who will win two tickets to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The two grand-prize winners, one selected from each group, will have their artwork launched into space on an upcoming mission.
Student rules and guidelines can be found at www.FloridaSpaceArt.com, with the artwork submitted to Space Florida, ATTN: Space Art Contest, 505 Odyssey Way, Suite 300, Exploration Park, FL 32953. All entries must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, May 23.
The Florida High School Athletic Association is accepting applications for the 2025 Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team. These must be made through your principal or athletic director, and require a certain GPA, athletic participation lettering in two or more sports, student government/nonclassroom activities, community service and hours, and an essay.
Volusia County Schools
The return to school is just around the corner. Winter Holiday vacation ends Monday, Jan. 6, for teachers, and students will return to the classroom Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Early-Release Wednesdays for January will be Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 29. There will be no school on Monday, Jan. 20, so that all can observe Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday Holiday.
School safety is of the utmost importance, including door, gate and ID safety. All Volusia County schools have implemented the new safety law, HB 1473, with all doors and gates closed and locked, and all ID badges worn and visible at all times. Students are taught the importance of not opening doors for strangers and reporting concerns immediately.
DeLand High School football
The FHSAA Academic Team Champion Recognition Program honors teamwork, not only in competition, but in the classroom as well. The program recognizes teams in each of the association’s sanctioned and recognized sports, naming an Academic Team Champion in each classification based on GPAs.
With that said, it has been noted that the DeLand High School football team of 2024 gained the Team Championship in 7A football this fall. The team had an overall GPA of 3.214, which was one-thousandth higher than that of Ocoee. The other classification champions were 6A, Pace 3.312; 5A, Martin County 3.206; 4A, Miami Belen Jesuit 3.501; 3A, Orlando Bishop Moore 3.297; 2A, Clearwater Calvary Christian 3.553; 1A, Melbourne Holy Trinity 3.431; and 1R, Liberty County 3.238.
Blue Lake Elementary School
Blue Lake Elementary School in DeLand will have its annual Winterfest 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30.
Discovery Elementary School
Discovery Elementary School in Deltona, prior to the Winter Holiday, has a performance scheduled by the Peabody Foundation of The Gingerbread Man, for the primary students.
George Marks Elementary School
Parents of first-grade students attending George Marks Elementary School in DeLand are asked to check their first-graders’ book bags for a flyer sent home prior to the holiday season about the presentation of “How Does Your Garden Grow” at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 13. The flyer announces what students are to wear, and gives them a QR code with the song for your child to practice at home.
Sunrise Elementary School
Sunrise Elementary School in Deltona congratulates Kaeden First for winning the school’s spelling bee. Avery Smith was the runner-up in the fourth- and fifth-grade competition. The school thanks the Rotary Club of DeBary-Deltona-Orange City for their help during the contest.
McInnis Elementary School
McInnis Elementary School in DeLeon Springs offers a big thank-you to the DeLeon Springs Community Association for providing warm jackets for the McInnis Bobcat students as the temperatures dropped.
DeLand High School
DeLand High School has highlighted four staff members in the monthly “Bulldog Spotlight.” They are Rebecca Schaffer, English 4 teacher; Rhea Simon, PE instructor and volleyball coach; Jeanne Jendrzejewski, IB Spanish teacher and swim coach; and Heather Carter, media specialist.
DeLand High School Class of 1999 student Leith Tussing was presented the UCF IT Superstar Award for all the work he has done over the past two years preparing Knight Shield for operation.
Deltona High School
Two of the Deltona High School staff have been certified in educational leadership through the Aspiring Leaders Academy, which is a one-year professional learning academy for instructional personnel interested in pursuing an administrative position within the next two years. The two are Joseph Brennan, a core teacher, and Jackie Johnson, an administrative dean. Johnson is a DeLand High School and Stetson University graduate.
Lighthouse Christian School
At the Stetson-FIU game, one of the officials walked up to this writer and said “Tutt or Tussing,” referring to Don Tutt and Tony Tussing, who taught geography at Southwestern Middle School as well as working in administration. The official was Joe Prince, who attended Southwestern and graduated from Lighthouse Christian in 2007, wishing to say hello. He now resides in Fort Myers, but his parents still live in DeLand near the Chisholm Community Center.
DeLand High School Athletics
The DeLand High School Bulldog basketball team was topped by Spruce Creek, 82-68, but downed Deltona High, 68-54, for a 4-2 record at this writing. The Lady Bulldog basketball players defeated Deltona, 55-29, and Calvary Christian, 62-31, but lost to Seminole, 63-47.
On Friday, Dec. 27, the girls basketball team will compete in the Tampa Christmas Tournament.
The girls soccer team lost to University, 1-0, and defeated Forest Lake Academy, 3-2, with Savanna Bruno scoring two goals and Katelynn Hatfield adding the third. The team also defeated Taylor, 8-0, with Hatfield and Ireland Williams each kicking two goals, while Bruno, Desi LeMay, Brianne Yocum and Princesa Martinez each booted one.
Up above in this column, it was mentioned about the DeLand football team’s academic honors. The following DeLand teams had a 3.0 GPA or better average, but were not the sports classification academic champion: boys golf 3.462; girls golf 3.026; boys swimming 3.369; girls swimming 3.674; volleyball 3.605; boys bowling 3.019; boys cross-country 3.556; and girls cross-country 3.460.
Stetson University basketball
The Stetson University Hatter men lost to USF, 74-72, with Mehki Ellison scoring 19 points, Josh Massey adding 18 points with seven rebounds, and Tristan Gross getting 11 points.
The men then lost to Mercer in overtime, 89-83, which was well-attended by the Embry-Riddle fans, as the head coach of Mercer is Ryan Ritter, and his brother, Reed, is an assistant coach, and both played at Embry-Riddle under the direction of their father, Steve Ritter, who is the longtime head coach at ERAU.
In the game, Jordan Wood scored 23 points, with two blocks and a steal; Massey dropped 22 points with eight rebounds; Ellison scored 14 points; and Abramo Canka had 12 points, with 10 rebounds, one block and two steals.
The team’s next outing in the Edmunds Center found FIU outscoring Stetson, 81-72. The Hats trailed by as much as 18 points. Wood led the way for Stetson with 25 points, Massey had 13 points and six rebounds, and Ellison contributed 13 more points with three steals.
The Lady Hatters lost to Iona, 58-46, with Cameron Thomas scoring 16 points with nine rebounds, one block and two steals. Tiasia McMillan scored 12 points with nine rebounds and two steals.
The ladies were then tripped up by Navy, 66-49, with T. McMillan scoring 15 points with nine rebounds, three blocks and one steal.
Quentarra Mitchell scored 14 points with one block and six steals. In their next outing at home, the Stetson women defeated High Point, 76-72, with Jorah Eppley scoring 18 points with three steals. T. McMillan added 11 points, while Mary McMillan scored 10 points with six rebounds.
Sunday, Dec. 29, has the Stetson men at the University of Florida, with the starting time to be announced.
Thursday, Jan. 2, sends the men to Queens at 7 p.m., while the women are at home against West Georgia at 7 p.m.
Stetson University Athletics
Stetson University beach-volleyball players Hanna Gubik of Hungary and Youna Coens of Belgium were selected to play in the Futures Tournament of the Volleyball Beach Pro Tour, each representing their own home country, in Pompano Beach.
Stetson men soccer players Charles Ahl and Clarence Loriot were named by the United Soccer Coaches to the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Men’s All-Atlantic Regional Team.
Former Stetson women’s basketball player and coach Victoria McGowan has been selected to be inducted into the ASUN Hall of Fame in 2025.
The Stetson baseball team has announced the signing of eight players in the early signing period. They all will be on campus in August 2025. Local fans will recognize two of the eight: Nathan Ricko, pitcher/outfielder from DeLand, and Tyler Boyesen, outfielder from Port Orange. Others hail from Cumming, Georgia, Tampa, Quebec and Orlando.
College honors
William Penney, of DeBary, has been named to the fall 2024 dean’s list at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega.
Baldwin Wallace University women’s volleyball student-athlete Katarina Blazetic, of DeLand, is one of four Yellow Jackets named to the 2024 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team. She was also named to the 2024 Fall Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference Team. Baldwin Wallace University is in Berea, Ohio.
